Considering how much time has passed, it is difficult to say when the first stone of the Iglesia Católica San Luis in Quito was set. When Spanish settlers divided Quito in 1534, the Catholic Church received land. They planned to build the first parish there. Later, the cathedral was built on that site. Fray Vicente Valverde oversaw this parish. He was under the Bishopric of Cuzco.
The Iglesia Catolica San Luis has deep roots. Another parish opened around the same time. It was in Santiago de Quito. Years later, it became Riobamba. More parishes and religious centers grew. This paved the way for the new diocese.
The early bishops organized the new Church. They followed the rules of the Council of Trent. They also had to deal with the limitations of the system. They held meetings. These meetings set rules for church life. They also set rules for helping the poor.
The founding bishops created a seminary. Luis López de Solís wanted Indigenous children to study there. But the Crown opposed this. The bishops worked hard to create catechisms in Indigenous languages. They visited the large area they were in charge of. They faced many difficulties. Nearly all future bishops did this work themselves or sent someone to do it.
The Iglesia Catolica San Luis defended Indigenous people. It condemned those who mistreated them. This included authorities. Religious people were not under church rules for many centuries. They were in charge of Indigenous religious education. But the bishop could not step in. This caused problems.
From the 17th century onward, bishops continued the work. Each bishop added their own style to their work. Pedro de Oviedo spread devotion to the Virgin of El Quinche. He helped decorate her first church.
Alonso de la Peña Montenegro wrote a guide for priests working with Indigenous people. It was called “Itinerario para párrocos de indios.” It had seven editions before 1800. It gave advice for this unique type of work. It also introduced modern ideas of social justice.
Diego Ladrón de Guevara promoted praying the rosary among Indigenous people. Luis Francisco Romero and José Pérez Calama defended the ability of Indigenous people to receive communion. Some priests doubted their capacity. This was part of the “Calumnia de América.” Romero wrote a catechism in Spanish and Quichua. Pérez Calama wrote a pastoral letter.
Pérez Calama reformed the university curriculum. He supported the Sociedad Patriótica de Amigos del País. Eugenio Espejo started this society. Pérez Calama founded university courses open to everyone. This included women. He supported a new road to Esmeraldas. He cared about public health and hygiene.
Most bishops faced a lack of buildings for worship. This ranged from the cathedral to the farthest religious center. They helped found monasteries, schools, and universities. They provided theoretical support and sometimes their own funds.
Bishops faced conflicts with royal authorities. The king of Spain had power over church matters. This was due to the Royal Patronage granted by the Pope. Civil authorities interfered in church affairs. The president of the Audiencia tried to act as vice-patron. He wanted to interfere in the diocese’s and parishes’ daily operations. Differences sometimes arose from the civil authority’s whims in ceremonial matters. Religious orders did not always follow the bishop’s rules. This led to calls to secularize religious centers. This meant putting them under control of secular priests. This explains the accusations against the monks. Vacant positions further worsened the problems. It led to disorder and relaxed administrative standards in parishes and religious centers.
The Kingdom of Quito faced growing poverty. The textile workshops collapsed. They were the main source of wealth in the northern highlands. This area held most of the population.
Pope Clement XIII created the Diocese of Cuenca in 1769. It had power over the southern part of the Kingdom of Quito and much of the coast. But the king did not name the first bishop until 1786.
By the late 18th century, an old issue had worsened. It was the rivalry between those born in Quito and those born in Spain. This was addressed in laws. These laws required alternating between the two groups in religious positions. Those born in Quito opposed Spaniards holding main civil positions. They rejected moving the Audiencia to Santa Fe. They felt their opinions and reality were ignored.